Bertagnolli Leads NIH Visit to the University of Kentucky

NIH Director Dr. Monica Bertagnolli presents “Improving Health Through Biomedical Research: Guiding Principles and an Orientation to NIH” at the University of Kentucky’s Healthy Kentucky Research Building.

Photo:  JEREMY BLACKBURN/UK RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS

NIH Director Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, accompanied by several other leaders at NIH, recently traveled to Lexington on a visit to the University of Kentucky’s (UK) Healthy Kentucky Research Building (HKRB), a space dedicated to enabling multidisciplinary teams to find solutions to reduce the health disparities greatly impacting the state.

With 100 principal investigators located at HKRB, a significant amount of UK’s NIH-funded biomedical research happens inside the building.

NIH’s Dr. Tara Schwetz (l) hears from Micah Devore, a UK College of Medicine pharmacology and nutritional sciences fellow, about his diabetes research.

Photo:  JEREMY BLACKBURN/UK RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS

“Kentucky’s demographic and geographic diversity present unique challenges to the health of its communities—challenges that the University of Kentucky is addressing head on with novel ideas to tackle cancer, substance use, diabetes, cardiovascular health and neurological health,” said Bertagnolli. “By focusing on these critical areas, UK is helping residents of the Bluegrass State live longer, healthier lives with discoveries that will ultimately benefit the health of all Americans.”

She presented “Improving Health Through Biomedical Research: Guiding Principles and an Orientation to NIH.” It was livestreamed and is available at https://www.youtube.com/live/KLtrdihfa4Y. 

Much of the research conducted at UK focuses on addressing key health hurdles facing Kentucky, from cancer to substance use. Awards from NIH help propel scientific discoveries and power UK’s partnerships with Kentucky communities to improve health.

At a UK briefing are (clockwise from center) Hans Hellmann of U.S. Rep. Andy Barr’s staff; NIGMS Director Dr. Jon Lorsch; Bertagnolli; NCATS Director Dr. Joni Rutter; NIH Deputy Director for Program Coordination, Planning and Strategic Initiatives Dr. Tara Schwetz; Dr. Krishan Arora and Dr. Eddie Billingslea, both of NIGMS; UK Vice President for Research Dr. Lisa Cassis; UK President Dr. Eli Capilouto; DiPaola; and UK Director of Federal Relations Dr. Eric King.

Photo:  JEREMY BLACKBURN/UK RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS

“We are grateful to the NIH and Director Bertagnolli for the continued support of biomedical research conducted at UK,” said Dr. Lisa Cassis, UK vice president for research. “It fuels our ability to improve the health of Kentuckians. It was a pleasure to share how UK is leading the nation in health disparity and community-based research.”

In fiscal year 2023, NIH awarded $145.6 million to UK. Roughly 200 principal investigators were awarded 289 grants for NIH-funded research projects.

In addition to Bertagnolli, the NIH delegation included Dr. Joni Rutter, director of the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS); Dr. Jon Lorsch, director of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS); Dr. Tara Schwetz, NIH deputy director for program coordination, planning and strategic initiatives; Associate Director for Legislative Policy and Analysis Kate Klimczack; Dr. Eddie Billingslea, NIGMS small business strategy coordinator; and Dr. Krishan Arora, chief of NIGMS’s Networks and Development Programs Branch.

Bertagnolli talks with Bassema Abu-Farsakh, a College of Nursing graduate research assistant, about her research on tobacco use and lung cancer screening.

Photo:  JEREMY BLACKBURN/UK RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS

Cassis gave the delegation an overview of UK’s biomedical Research Priority Areas (RPAs)—cancer, substance use, neuroscience, diabetes and obesity, and cardiovascular diseases. Created in 2018, the RPA program’s goal is to reduce the most pressing health disparities in Kentucky, which are particularly severe in the rural parts of the state.  

Central to much of this work is the UK Center for Clinical and Translational Science, funded by NCATS, to translate findings from UK researchers to prevention, therapies and treatments in Kentucky communities.

Another round of discussions focused on programs supported by NIGMS, including the SuRE Resource Center, Faculty ACCESS program and NIH REACH Program (KYNETIC).